Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-09-30
ing LIQUORS. III have not ALWAYS so felt

was unWllllDg TO allow any outside issue
, t. su9vsrt or csuse the overthrow of the
Democratic party, whose principles l be-
lleve - be necessary to the preservation
OF our free constitutional system of
government" So you will see you
were not the first to inform the public of
my change OF opinion. In the interview
10 which you rtfe- was called on by the
reporter and made the statement you
quote without hsyiDg had occasion ct any
time to study the question, and having
in view the fact that the prohibition party
vas then antagonizing the Democratic
party. When the Democratic psrty Of
Texas, in state convention, declared in
substance that the temperance question
was no longer 6 test Of Democratic fealtY,
and when Democratic Legislature. on
the recommendation and on the subse-
Quent approval Of s Demo
cratic Governor, had submitted TO
the people 8 constitutional amend
ment providing that "the manu-
facture, sale and exchange Of intoxicating
Iiquors, except for medicinal, mechanical,
secramentaI and scientific purposes, IS
hereby prohibited IN the state of Texas"
l felt thGt i was ny duty TO examine the
question SO as to be able TO cast proper
vote or 1t. And | did examine it That
examination caused me TO do what Is
never agreeable to anyone, and what
many, it is presumed, DO not have the
courage to 90, to declare myself against
my former expressed opinion. had the
less difficulty in doing this, however, as
IL have been in the habit Of fol-
lowing my own convictions rather than
hunting for the popular side of ques-
GiOn. At that time had no expectation,
aud DO not think others had, that pro-
hioition would receive the strong support
il did. In tue letter to Mr. Gibbs and
others, above referred TO, l say;
81 shall at the coming election vote
for the amendment, not because l believe
prohibition the most efficient remedy
which could be adopted for these evils,
but because. in my judgment, it favOES O
policy when will do much for the i'm
provemeut Of the condition Of our people
: pecuniariiy, socially and morally, and
towards placing them on higher and
, better plane Of civiIZation."
, l sustained that measure because il
{ was in the line of temperance, virtue and
thrift, end not because il Was lhe plen
would have suggested to accomplish the
r end IN view.
: have thought il best TO discuss tht
= foregoing questions in order to meet g
5 much OF your letter as seems to be made
up of personal criticisms Of m7 letter snC
2 myself Some enemy Of N ne in Texas
spprehend, has furnished you all TIT
. facts he could which were supposed L
e discredit my position. l viii not sup
= pose thHt the coincidence OF your lette
p 10 Governor Lub book being written on Tn
i eve Of the election ia Texas, aud you
n letter 50 ne on the eve Of the Tennessee
n election, was the result OF syour OWE de
2 sign.
I l viii now examine briefly the real IS
: sues between Us.
= At the outset I wish to say that N,
& contention Is thRt the liquor traffic, are
= the evils which DO necessarily and actual
T attend It, is the most s1upendoUs crime c
2 our sge and country. In this | think tn
4 best part Of tee American people, en-
II PROBABLY you, will agree with me.
o | understand your contention TO be tina
o 10 take away the cause and temptation
= 10 this great crime would be TO improper
p. y interfere with individual rights an
i violate personal liberty; and tnGt yo
i object to being charged with the deIens
q If the liquor traffic and saloons, as 10
70 being part Of your contention 70
/
+ traffic and tha saloons 10 prevent int
ID ference with Individual rights and PEI
q s0nal liberty, and per patua-e the tempt
# lions for men of cornwall disposition.
n weak men, old and young, and IL
- laoughuess boys 10 make drunkards {
themselves, to waste their fortunes
e. dissipation, destroy their usefulness
q their families and country, 10 beCOm
II criminals, vagGbonds, OUtcasts, shu1nt
to oy the good and despiSed by the bsc
OF and then you would punish them for the
crimes, while you would protect by Is
ID those who tempted them 70 crime an
I'd dishonor. l speak Of this as the neCe
he ssry effect OF your theory, not as q sta
IS of things you would COuntenance or q
3 TCctlY defend, while l would take ava,
t. abolish II you please, such temptation
ne and thus prevent the ruin sad dishOnC
40 OF the men and boys, end save them fro
6 the penalties Of violated law. How Cs
Re you separate the liquor traffic and II
~ saloons from the manufacture and sale
nd the liquors? Il IS first the manufacture
h then the wholes sle, then the 62le by III
r. i3bbe.s, to the saloons, and tGen The ma
te lnS Of drunkards and generating Of 6 ".
70 brUOc OF crimes. But your tGeOryi9 In
e. this must not be done tecsuse to preve
| these is to violste personal liberty. WI
ie personal liberty is to be- violated? Nol
e except the right 10 make zGd sell inLoS
C. eating liquors, and The liberty or gettil
to drunk and committing crime.
ne But You say 'if the amendment h.
~ bcea adopted, what, il may BE- aske
ne would the wine, gro Wegs have done wi
rs their surplus grapes, CT the fruit gro1
al ers with &heir peaches, apples and pear
nj CT the farmers with their surplus grain
NJ Dig answer 10 tnis would be th4s for Il
NJ s.I2 would nc; prevent the msnutaCtu
ic, Of the lighter wines. Taat ! would I
sisic. ne manufacture oI whisky G.
me randy TO that which would be pecesss
led for medicinal, manufacturing and scie
10 ;itlC purposes, s9Olish the saloons, Il,
ip- the fruits and grain 10 stock, have mo
MD fat horses, cattle and swine, aud l won
ID say, not irreYerent!y, less hell. | wou
be- thus promote peace, prosperity and ha
nv pinsss among the people, put our cot
TO try fully abreast win the most advsnc
TO il virtue, thrift and knowledge, sid pla
ley it on the highest plane Of Christian civ
1T zAtion.
nor | notice that while you oppose prohl
ich tiGn you favor local option. The only
mark | have TO make on this Is tbs
l. cannot see the difference in princip
ent The one is prohibition in the state,
,ng other is prohibition in the county
!u- smaller territory. But both p-ohi
the alike the sale of intoxicating liquo
Id: strike down the saloons, and reduce
ms termination to drunkenness. ! notice w